Grand Master Bong Soo Han was the world's foremost practitioner of
Hapkido and he is referred to as the Father of Hapkido
in the Western World. As one of the original senior students of the
Founder of Hapkido, Yong Sul Choi, he led a dedicated effort in the
development of Hapkido as it is known today. He taught thousands of
loyal students throughout his life with many becoming masters themselves.
Other masters across all styles have sought out his wisdom
and teachings. Grand Master Han studied and refined this powerful
Korean martial art for more than 60 years. Up to the time of his death,
he held the rank of 9th Dan Black Belt. He founded and presided over the
International Hapkido Federation.

In Korea, the turbulent times of the post Korean War and the increasing
conflicts of the Vietnam War called upon Grand Master Han to train
hundreds of military personnel, including American/Korean Special
Forces and Secret Service. In part from this realistic and dynamic
experience, many in the military and law enforcement agencies, including
those of the FBI, have relied on Grand Master Han to develop and teach
effective defensive tactics programs.

Grand Master Han first introduced Hapkido to the United States
in 1967, although mass exposure did not come until the motion picture
"Billy Jack" filled the nation's theaters in 1971. In this
film, Grand Master Han gained critical acclaim for creating and staging
some of the most breathtaking and realistic fight sequences ever to
have graced the silver screen. Up to the release of this film, brief
references to martial arts were often portrayed by actors and not
by martial artists. Grand Master Han redefined and revolutionalized
Hollywood's understanding of martial arts by demonstrating a level
of martial arts skill previously not seen before, much to the delight
of the audience who found it tremendously exciting. Grand Master Han
continued to choreograph, double, star in, and/or produce numerous
films.

Grand Master Han was the subject of hundreds of magazine and newspaper
articles, countless martial arts magazine cover
stories, and was a member of the Black Belt Magazine Hall
of Fame (1978). He was also featured in The Arts and Entertainment
documentary, "The Martial Arts," the Wesley Snipes-produced
"Master of the Martial Arts," and several other radio, Internet,
and television profiles.

In addition to being cited in dozens of martial arts books, Grand
Master Han himself wrote many articles on the Way of martial
arts, and also authored the book, HAPKIDO, The
Korean Art of Self-Defense (Ohara Publications, 1974), which is
now in its 23rd printing. He also completed a series of ten instructional
Hapkido videotapes for worldwide distribution.

Grand Master Han is best known, however, for his indefatigable dedication
to the teaching of Hapkido, sharing with thousands the truth and nature
of martial arts, and greatly impacting those who commit to embark on this journey
of self-development. For 37 years, he operated his
martial arts school and IHF Headquarters in Santa Monica, California.
Prior to his death on January 8, 2007, Grand Master Han toured the
world lecturing on and demonstrating the Art of Coordinated Power
in an effort to expand the IHF to include qualified and committed
member schools.